The Media Strengthening Program supports Mozambican professional and community journalists and their media platforms to provide high quality information to citizens and promote accountability and development.

The program promotes a free, open, diverse, and self-sustaining media sector. The five-year, $10.2 million project is funded by USAID.

• Support Mozambique’s new and traditional media to produce high-quality content.
• Create strong communities of journalists, editors, media managers, media lawyers, civil society leaders, and development organizations that work together to protect and strengthen freedom of expression.
• Build sustainable, innovative media organizations.
• Support improved journalism education to develop a cadre of future media professionals.
• Support the role of media in meeting the country's development goals, including in health, education, governance, and economic expansion.

• Strengthen the capacity of emerging and experienced journalists to produce quality content, with a special emphasis on investigative journalism.
• Work with media businesses to build sound management practices for long-term financial viability and sustainability.
• Provide technical assistance to 32 community radios in the northern part of the country in order to expand the reach and quality of information.
• Support the development of a safe operating environment for media entities and professionals through advocacy, safety training, and legislative efforts.
• Increase female participation in media and train journalists in reporting on gender-based violence and related subject areas.
• Work with persons with disability to establish an online TV channel for the deaf.

Tara Susman-Peña, tsusmanpena@irex.org